Tire and tire-tread construction.



P. E. WIRT.

TIRE AND -TIRE TBEAI) CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIGATIQH FILED SEPT. 12, 1907.

951,870, y Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INV/NYON lvlfrf P. E. WIRT.

TIRE AND TIRE TRBAD CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 197.

Patented Mar. 15,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3y WM r l I'. E. WIRT TIRE AND TIRE Tamb CONSTRUCTION.

Patented Mar. 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l A PILICTIOH FILED SEPT. 12, 1907.

A//amcy P. E. WIRT.' TIRE AND TINE TRBAD CONSTRUCTION.

' APPLICATION FILED SBPTJZ, 1907. 951,870, Patented Mar. 15,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I .vV/NTo/e .'lifomey UNITED Stearns PATENT onirica.

PAUL E. WIRT, OF BLOOMSBUR-G. PENNSYLVANIA.

TIRE AND TIRE-TREAD CONSIIRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

Application filed September 12, i907. Serial No. 392.463.

To all wlw/m. ii may concern.:

burg, in the county ot' Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented eert ain nenand useful Improvemein's in iire'and 'lire- I Tread Construction, (Case 5,) ot' which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to the art of manuv facturing tires for automobiles and otherA vehicles, and has special reference to au improved treadconstruction adapted for use inconnection .with the ordinary types of pneumatic tires," though possessing special utility as a structural part of a laminated tire construction of the character disclosed in a companion application tiled of even date. herewith ano bearing Serial Nit-.aber 392,462.

To this end the invention contemplates a simple and thoroughlypi'actical laminated fread construction embodying great strength and wearing capacity, while at the same time having the necessary resilienc and flexibility, and serving to thoroughly protect: the tire against the injuries which are common to most makes of tires in every day use.

As a general objett. the invention has in view the provision ot' .i tread .structure which, when used with tire of ordinary construction, or with .t laminated tire. of the type hereinafter' full)Y described, provides a. Wearing tread for the tire having a maximum strength, integrity, resiliency, endurance, and yielding wearing t'aee, together with a maximum resistance against. perl' orations and other in'urics.

lVith these an man3v other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the the saine consists in the novel e:mstizzctifon.I combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described. illustrated. and claimed. b

The essential features of the invention, involved in carrying out. the objects above indicated, are necessarily susceptible to a vrde range'of structural modification without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advanta es of the invention, but certain practical ein odiments thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional perspective .view of a prie-lunatic tire. of ordinary constructie" equipped with a supplemental laniinattd trea constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View Be 1t known that l, Pari. E. Wnl'r. a citil n showing the employment, of tread forming- .zen of the United States, residing at Bloomsin Figo. Fig. T is a sectional perspective vien` similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing a further modification in the design and arrangement of the tread forming-units. Fig. S is c. detail in 'perspective ot' a group of the tread'orming-units such as employed in the construction shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a erspective View of a section of tread eiuodying tread forming-units of the design shown in Fig. 8, but arranged di'erent y.

Fig. 10 is a sectional perspective view ot' a laminated tire. structure combined with a laminated tread such as contemplated b v the present invention, showing one. design of the tread forming-units. F ig. 1l is a detail sectional view on the line ll-ll of Fig. l0. Fig. 1Q is a detail in perspective of a straight form of body foriningunit such as eniplo ved in tbe construction of the tire bod;y shownin Figs. l and l1. Fig. 13 is a perspective vienv showing several of the body forming-units arranged in nested relation. l" ig. 1sis a view similar to Fig. 13 showinfr how the nested forming-units are applied bent to shape around the mold or core u on which the whole tire is formed, and ilusnature of the invention is; better under stood,

trating the ends of said units bent to provide clem-her hook portions. Fig. 1s a sectional perspective view showing the improved laminated body construction associated with a laminated tread having the tread tunning-units disposed in true radial planes, that is, at right angles to the circtunference. Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15V

showing the tread forming-units set at an inclination and oblique to the radii ,of the tire, as perdetail of Fig. 16. Fig 16* is a. detail of tread units .shown in ig. 16. Fig. 17 is -a sectional perspective view .of a laminated tire body and a laminated tread showin" a modification in the tread structure vliet-ein certain oi thc tread members l are provided with anchoring means held be;

. in building up the modrticd tread structure tween the laminations, layers, or units of the tire b ody. Fig. 18 is a etail perspective showing a group of the. eparate units used larly contempt-.des the use of fabric tread forming-units, strips, or leaves, so that the fibrous ends of the material are not only presented toward the main Wearing surface, but also will receive, embed, and thoroughly bind the outer rubber covering very much better than Where rubber is'vulcanized to a fiat surface, as is ordinarily the case. Va-

rious embodiments of this idea may be carried out Without affecting the invention, and as sho'svnin Figs. 1, 2 and 7. of the draw ings, the'improved laminated tread or tread structure may be applied to a pneumatic tread body of any ordinary and conventional type. ln these igures of the drawings, the tire body is desigmted bythe numeral 1 and consists of the usual circumferential laminations of rubberized fabric. and rubber, and having an inner rubber tube or casing 2, and

vat itsf edges provided with the clencher hook members 3, all of which is ofthe ordinary ivell known construction. As a protective tread for the tire body referred to,.the p'resent invention contemplates the employment of a laminated tread structure designated in its entirety hy the reference number 4 covered by thc rubber covering 4, and composed of a continuous series of individual tread forming-units 5 arranged in compact side by side relation transversely to` the circumference of the tire, and disposed substantially edgewisc to the. radii thereof.

The individual tread forming-units 5 may be of any suitable material, but are preferably formed from pieces or strips of rubberized fabric. By reason of the arrangement of the tread forming-units transverselyto the circumference ofthe tire,vand substantially edgenisc to the radii thereof, it ivill ne obvious'that the said stripsare 'presented edgewise t-the wearing vsurface of' the tire. This general arrangement of the.

tread forming-strips maybe preserved with various designs of strips, for instance as 'shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings',-

each tread forming-unit 5 consists of a single strip or piece of flexible material cut into crescent form so as to straddle the outer tread portion of-'the tire body, and as, shown l l i in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. the said l units may still preserve' a general crescent shape in elevation, while at thc s'rnv anne being longitudinally creased oT roldeel` as at G, to produce a V-shapel cross semina therefor, thereby making a design willich admits of the tread forming-units lacing nested one within the other and liaving"f inclined sides, as plainly shown in F ig.. :2 ef the drawings. This construction is @specially tough and resilientand renders the tread more -proo against perforation.. 1n such construction' any perforating noy would, of necessity,`be compelled to tenter the fabric of the units almost at right i with their surfaces and travel through a great many thicknesses of material, which `would, of course, be ve ditlicult. It *ct-iii also be observed that this condition ifs due to the fact that on account of the cro-sectional V-shape of the units 5, as shown in Fie. 2, such units, when laid on edges, set obliquely to the tire body.

A modification of the dished or crosz-s ser:

l tional V-shaped units, is suggested in figs.

5 and 6, which illustrate the feature of nrovidng the units with corrugated outer edges G serving the important function of fe-- venting skidding or slipping of the van;

wheels.V Again, 1n Figs. 7 and'S o the rensings, the laminated tread structure is trated as being composed of a-pluraliny of tread forming-units longitudinally crinnpe-d throughout and arranged in Vclosely mesred relation, parallel with the cirtur'nferenwc of the tire, that is, extending cix/curnferennialy of the tire body in contradistinction to versely as hereinbefore reerredto. In 'will be observed that inv this constructions the tread 'forming-units are crimped in a. zigzag manner so that when the surface of the md is presented to the l ound by the Wheel as it runs, there .vill be ittle likelihood of pierinration, as the irregular or zi zag crearse of cach unit massed in the tread ody wil prevent any body from entering as quickly as it the units were straight throughout.

A modification ofthe tread 'shown' inrgs:

'T and 8 is suggested in F ig. 9, thatl is, having the longitudinally crimped tread formingunits 7 closely nested in side by side parallel relation, but running over the tire transversely to the circumference in the me relation s the transversely disposed maris of Figs, 1 to (i, inclusive. The tread 'structure and its modifications. so far as described, have been showin as. adapted vto tires of ordinary construmiom. out the. laminated tire structure special utility in connection with a (cm-respondingly laminated tire body, and cam posite structure of this character is tratedin the group of Figs. 10 to 18, unduslve.

Referring to the construction of time and tire tread shown in Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings, it. will be observed that the tire body is similar in construction and `tunction to the tire body disclosed in my aforesaid companion application filed .of even dateE herewith. That is, the tire body, designated A in its entirety by the number 8 in Figs. 10

and 1l of tbe. drawings, is built up of a multiplicity of forming-strips o`r leaves arranged transversely to the circumference of the tire and so disposed as to present the edges of the body laininae toward the outer -wearing surface of the tire. In other Words, the laminated tire body 8 shown in Figs. 10 and 11 has the tread forming-units thereof so arranged that the saine are disposed edgei Wise to the body of the tire so that they 1am with the edges siustantially turned to the road, thereby securing a resiliency, evenness, and durability as to wear that far excels the usual thick rubber` cushion. As indicated, the said body 8 is made of built up or laid in layers of individual body forming-units, eachof which nuits preferably consists of a straight strip 9 of rubberized fabric or equivalent material bent, into the necesi-arf.' forni to admit of the layin in or building up process. An individua tread forming-unit A t) is shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. it

may be observed that this unit may consist creased or l'oldcd along the longitudinal eenter line l0, as indicated iii said ligure. to produce a unit having a V-sliape in cross section, and also having llat straight sides.

The units thus formed are designed to be 5 successively nested in compact side bj.' side i relation and are bent about a torining niandrel orniold inte the annular forni indicated in Fie'. 13 of the drawings and are linallvv reason of the llat sides nl' (he units beingcomluessed nilo overlapping relation. it will be obvious tbal in cross set-tion the laniiuai tions Will so .floselv hir;r eat-h other :is: to present a V-sliaped forni. as plainlj.v shown in the sectional view ol Fig. l ol ings. `,The lire wall sluiwn in Fig. l] pref sents such a nunilwr of thicknesses and laiuinations, and in 'such relation as te set-are. tlm-nhilitv. and a firmer adherence of the' great strength and resisting qualities. while al lne .same liun hetzig sn thoroughly llexibla and resilient as to adapt iisell' tothe regular the inner and null-it-lges of the humiliations f drawconstituting the body 8, but the present. invention preferably coriteui lates associating with the iaininated tire bot y a supplemental irtread structure 14 made up of a multiplicity ot'tread forming-units of any of the designs shown in any of the other figures of the drawings. However, for illustrative purposes, there is shown in Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings a tread structure 14 built up from flexible tread forming-units or strips 15 of the crescent, disbed, design shown in Figs. i3 ind 4 of the drawings, and arrangedin side by side nested relation trans- Versely to the circumference of the tire, and disposed edgewise to the' radii thereof, 'thereby presenting the outer fibrous edges of the tread foriningunits l?) toward the wearing surface of the tire body, and as the bonding surface for the outer relatively thin 'rubber covering 15. Also it will be observed that since the units 15 shown in Figs. 10 and 11 are of the saine cross-sectional form as the units shown in Fig. 2, the said l units 15 when laid on edge necessarily'prei serve :in oblitpu` disposition to the tire body. .is A l; of the :lr:..'.'ing.-:, the l tread .sti ueture nur v be composed of a series of vpiaiu. crescent .shaped tread formingf; unit.` l similar in construction and arrangeand if found desirable or preferable, these tread forming-units 1G may be set at an angle and obliqiiely to the circumference and radii of the" Lire, as suggested in Fig. 2 1li of thc drawings'. The oblique arrangenient of tbe'units i6 corresponds in principle and in fnuelion to the oblique disposition of the units 5 and l5, shown respectivel \v in Fig. 2, and in Figs. 10 and 11.

Another pbase of the invention is illusl irated in Figs. l and 1S of the drawings. In these iignres there is shown combined with a lion shown iii Figs lll and l1, a tread slruclure made up of a sneeession of eonipactly laid tread forming-mints 1T and 1S, respectively. The tread forming-units 1T are provided at their bottoni edges with anchoring aprons lil inserted and secured between the units or lauiinatiuns of tbetire body S, while l the other tread forming-units 18 are of a g non-llangefl construction and are packed in l ,f laminated lire body t5 et' the generalconstruci the intervals between the upstanding tread ,struction secures additional strength and l separate tread structure lo the tire bodv. l

of the tread construelions it is'eonleinplated that tlieybe rnily vulcanized undeilirin pressure so to be held thereto as an intiniate or integral part thereof. The prix ciple of construction involved in the modil lication shown in Figs. 17 and 18 may obviously be carried out in connection with nient lo the units 5 shown in Figs. 1 and 3, 'of a straight strip of material lungitue'hnally l forming portions of the units 1T, This eon although it will be understood .that in all* tread units of diii'erent designs, and arranged on true radial lines, and obliquely, .so longas the idea is preserved of presenting their outer edges as the rearing surface of the tire. ln connection ivith the construction shown in Figs. l0, l5, 16, and 17, it will be obvious that the same possesses many structural advantages which are of practical importance.

When a composite tread structure is combined u'itha composite body structure, as suggested in Figs. l0, l1, 15, and 1C, n tire of great durability is provided, and the said tire possesses many advantages which are not possible of attainment with the ordinary tire structures naodition to-those advantages already pointed out for the structure just referred to, it may be further observed at this pointvthat by reason Of the arrangement of the bod v formingunits transversely to the circum erence of the tire,

and hence, the overlapping laminations upon the exterior surface thereof, there will be little or no opportunity for what is known asSandblisters This is particularly true of certain forms of construction shown in my companion application aforesaid, but it is likewise true with the laminated body structure disclosed in the present application. e

In' the ordinary tire, when thev rubber exterior is cut, it often occurs thatvsand is forced continuously into the cut as the wheel revolves, and is driven along the face of the fabric between the outer rubber covering and the inner fabric, thus loosenin the rubber coveringl and causing what 1s nown as the sand lister, which, if not removed from time to time, eventually destroys the tire, and in the ordinary tire construction a tear or perforation may be -put through one or more thicknesses ofthe fabric and sand pounded into, under or between the layers of fabric, causing an early destruc tion. -V "1' In the improved'laminated ti'r structure claimed herein, even though the surface were abradedv or cut, 'the sand could not be forced between the leaves, because the fold or inclination at -which the fabric` is laid is backward` 'Should sand be driven into the perforation, through the outer rubber covering and underfit, it would find no continuous space for accumulation, such as'occurs in the ordinary tire construction, because the overlapping leaves run away from the impact upon the ground, and moreover, which 1s of great importance, theouter soft rubber exterior ooveringryvhen applied and vulcanized u n' the fa c ofthe improved tire herein sb wn is held 'or cemented more firmly. than that,v upon the ordinary construction of tire. So many edges and ends of thread? ofthe `fabi-lc are presented to the rubber in covering( that the latter adheres l with a great dea l of tenacity. The rubber corrmg in the improved tire claimed embeds itself and vulcanizes down, in and about so many of the ends of the threads of the fabric, in addition to whatever flat surfaces remain exposed, that great adherence is attained. and sa nd forced into a cut by the running wheel can find no such Weakness in the bond between the outer rubber cover and fabric as is of necessity, and must bc, in the prent day construction of tire. It is much more difcult to get rubber to adhere strongly to the dat surface of fabric. It will be observed that nearly the Whole of the exterior surface of this fabric construction presents an almost solid mass of fabric thread ends into which rubber may embed and adhere, to a much greater extent than whcrerubber covering is applied to the hard, tight, comparatively smooth surface of canvas of fabric, as in the present method of construction.

Referring again to sand or dirt blisters under the skin of the tire, and consequentblow outs, it may be said that'should a cut occur in the surface of the improved O tread or tire, the wear or impact of the tire i upon the road asin running has a most positive tendency to beat down the ends of fiber about, around, over and into ,such cuts so as to fill or stop up any threatened further opening of the cut.` This cannot occur in the present form or make of treads or tires. while on the contrary, where cuts are made, they spread Wider or increase in size. A cuton the thick rubber tread of the usual tire will;` owing to the nature of soft rubber, distended by pneumatic pressure from' Within` under most circumstances, increase or spread a art. It is this tendencvof the rounded dlstended body of rubber of the ordinary pneumatic tire tread to ividenbecause of in- .ierent tension that causes much of the tiro difculty and tire destruction.

In the im roved construction claimed, the tendency is or the body of the substantially vertical tread to resist widening of accidental cuts or abrasions. The tendency is, as stated, owing to the manner of construction, and the com ression of the numerous layers-particular 'y of the treads-when an opening or cut is made to cling or contract around and about such cut, particularlydoes such chance opening contract or fill up as the tire` revolves u on the road beatin down the tlbrouscnds ci) the threads at, wit in, and about the rent.

The improved tireclaimed is particularly amenable to treatment when it comes to the bound, as to render adhesion certaim'. and so durably cement the injured parts with absolute certainty.

insuring the closest and most permanent re lation niidrepnii.

Various changes in the form, proportion, und minor details of construction may be resorted to without departiii from the spirit or sacrificing any of the amntages of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a tire, the tire body and a se arate tread portion on the latter, said trea portion consisting of a plurality of thin flexible i forming units constructed from sheet-material and adhesively compacted in face to face relation with their outer edges presented toward the wearin surface.

f2. A tire comprising a ody portion and a separate tread portion on tlie ltter, said tread portion consistin of a plurality of thin flexible forming units constructed from rubberized fabric, saidforining units being adliesively compacted in face to face relation with their outer edges presented toward the wearing surface, and an outer rubber covering bonded onto saida outer edges of the units.

3. .fr tire comprising a body portion and a separately built up tread thereon, said tread consisting of rubberized sheets of fabric cut to predetermined length and shape and laid on edge upon the body to present the outer edges of all of the sheets toward the wearing surface, said fabric sheets being laid np on the body successively in face to face contact and vulcanized together on and with the body.

4. A tire comprising a body and a. sepan rately built up tread thereon, said tread con sisting of thin flexible forming units constructed from sheet material and laid on edge oblique to the body.

5. A tire comprisinv a body and a separately built up treada thereon, said tread consisting of a plurality of rubberized flexible forming units laid on edge and sei'l obliquely to the radii of the tire body.

6. A tire comprising a body and a separately built up tread thereon, said tread consisting of a lurality of thin rubberized fabric sheets aid on edge upon the body and dis ose'd'obliquely to the circumference and radliiof the latter.

7. A tire comprising a body and a separately built up k,treadA thereon, said tread consistingof a plurality of flexible rubberized fabric sheets adliesively compacted in face to face relation and laid on edge upon the bodywith their outer edges presented toward the wear-Luv surface, said outer edge portions of the abrio sheets bearing an overlapping relation. Y

8. A tire comprising a rately built up tread thereon,-said tread consisting of a plurality of flexible fabric sheets adhesively compacted in face to face relation and laid on edge with their outer edges presented toward tlie Wearing surface, said fabric sheets being set oblique-ly and bearing an overlapping relation, and an' outer'rubber covering bonded onto the outer edg` of said sheets.

9. tire including a body and a tread secured to the body and comprising units, the outer margins of which have an oblique edgevfise disposition to the body.

1G. In a tire, the tire body, and a lamimated tread vulcanized on the body and composed of folded flexib e nested formingunits.

1l. In a tire, the tire body, and a laminated tread built astride and secured to the outer surface of the tire body and composed of folded flexible nested formingiinits.

12. In a tire, the tire bod and a laminated tread built astride an vulcanized to the enter surface of the tire bod and com- 'osed of folded flexible rubberized nested orming-units.

13. 1n a tire, the tire body, a laminated tread built astride and bonded to the `nite:- surfaee of the tire body and composed of closely compacted and folded flexible rubberized nested forming-units, and an outer rubber covering bonded onto the compacted units. l

nated tread composed of folded flexible `nested forming-units having an oblique edgewise disposition relative tothe tire body.

17. In a tire, the tire body, and a laminated tread built astride the tire body and composed of compacted flexible nested forming-units each consisting of a strip of crescent form having a V-shape in cross section.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

. PAUL E. WIRT. W'itnesses C. W. Fonsrox, R. L. ORANGE.

body and a sepa-y 

